Indicating mechanism for amusement devices



Jan.19,194s. @.ASQLINSKI 2,308,787,

INDICATING MECHANISM FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES Filed May 3l, 1941 m /l u INV ENTOR.

ariesA. Sali/25@ Patented Jan. 19, 1943 UNITEDv f' STATES yPrimair; OFFICE- INDICAT'ING MECISTISFR AMUSMENT.; Y

rationjof'nlinois Appucafinfnay 31, 1941, serial No. 396.0253

v101mm. (o1. 264--205 .This invention relatesto certain novelimprovements in a coin-controlled exercising device'particularly and more specifically a stationary bicycle, and has for its principal object the provision of van improved construction of this character which will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

More specifically the salient objects of the invention reside in the provision of means for indicating the speed at which the bicycle is operating, so that the operator thereof may observe from time to time the maximum speed.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view of the indicator cabinet embodied in the invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View `of the speed indicating mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary part sectional vertical detail View of the same;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail View of a torque take-olf associated with the front wheel hub structure.

Referring to the drawing, a stand is indicated at I0 and this stand supports a bicycle II of ordinary construction comprising front and rear wheels I2 and I3 respectively, pedal-driving means I4, a seat I5, and handle bars I6.

The wheels I2 and I3 frictionally engage a tread mill I1 acting as a means for retarding the rotation of the wheels I2 and I3 to simulate the travel of a bicycle upon a road.

The present invention is concerned with indidicating the speed of travel of the bicycle, and in this connection I provide a torque take-off gear I8 mounted upon the hub I9 of the front wheel l2 and operatively meshing with a speed gear 2D mounted on the lower end portion of a flexible shaft 2| and supported by a suitable bracket 22 mounted upon the axle 23 of the front wheel hub I9. This flexible shaft 2| at its upper end is supported by a bracket 24 secured as at 25 to a wall 26 of a cabinet 21. The shaft 2| has universal connection as at 28 with a shaft- 29 journaled through suitable bearing brackets 30.

The shaft 29 projects through a sleeve 3| having opposite elongated slots 32 formed therein, the sleeve 3| being slidable longitudinally upon the shaft 29. Adapted to move in these slots 32 are the pins 33 of a gyrometer 34 comprising! the usual gyrometer ring 35 pivotally supported bythe pins 33 and vyieldably resisted in oneV direction by means of a spring 36 into abutment with a stop 3|' extendingfrom the sleeve 3| and movable therewith.

The gyrometer ring 35 engages a lug 31 carried by the sleeve 3|. The lower end portion of the sleeve 3| has an annular shoulder 38 which engages a laterally disposed roller 39 carried by a substantially vertically movable rack bar 4|). This rack bar 40 carries a weight 49 at its lower end and meshes with a pinion 4| carried by a shaft 42 extending through a hub structure 42 suitably supported in the wall 26 and a numeralbearing dial 43. Connected to the shaft 42 is a pointer or hand 44 movable over the face of the dial. On the shaft 42 adjacent the inside face of a mounting plate 49 is mounted a ratchet wheel 45 adapted to be engaged by a latch finger 46 carried by a lever 41 pivo-tally mounted as at 48 upon the plate 49, mounted in a suitable manner within the cabinet 21. The opposite end of the shaft 42 is suitably supported on a bracket 49 extending parallel to the plate 49 from a flange portion thereof.

A spring 5| having one endanchored on the plate 49 and its opposite end attached to the lever 41, resists movement of the lever 41 in one direction. Secured to this lever 41 as at 52 is a pull cord 53, the lower end of which is connected as at 54 to a beveled plate 55 pivoted as at 56 to the front wall of cabinet 21 through the medium of the bar 51. The brake release rod 59 (not included as a part of this invention) normally has engagement with the inner end portion of a slide member 59 of a coin slide 60 of a well-known type.

The arrangement is such that upon rotation of the flexible shaft 2|, the gyrometer ring 35 in a manner well-known in the art will be caused to assume a position toward the horizontal, and in doing so the projection or lug 31 will be engaged tol elevate the sleeve 3|, whereupon the rack bar 40 is moved vertically, and in this movement rotates the shaft 42, which in turn rotates the pointer 44 to indicate the speed upon the numeralbearing dial 43.

The shaft 42 is releasably held from returning to its normal position by the latch finger 46 until released thereby so that the dial will indicate the maximum speed attained. Release of the shaft 42 for return to normal position is accomplished by moving the coin slide 59 inwardly after depositing a suitable coin therein, bringing the inner end portion of the slide member 59 into engagement with the edge 56 of the plate 55 Whereby this plate 55 is pivoted in an anticlockwise direction, exerting a pulling force upon the lever 41 against the action of the spring 5i, releasing the i Ylatch ringer 4s from its heid on the rai-,chews 'te permit the shaft 42 and pointer 44 to rotate to zero position by the Weight of the rackrbar Ml and its Weight l0.

The arrangement herein described provides a Vsimple and efficient means for indicating the `speed at which the Vbicycle normally would be traveling if upon a road. v A While I have illustrated and described'the pre-V ferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable Tof variation and modification without departing fromV the spirit of the invention. VI, therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as comewithin the scope of the appended claim. l g Y Y v Having thus described -my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patentr-is: Y -V g l n' i v In a speed indicator for a coin-controlled-exer- 2,308,787 Y n cising bicycle comprising a cabinet providing La Y driving connection with a wheel of izliebicycle;Y a

Vslotted sleeve arranged on said vertical shaft for movement therealong, a gyrating ring arranged on said shaft and pin means extending through 1 the slotted portion of said` sleeve for mounting 1 said ring onl said shaft for gyrating movement andpermitting vertical movement of said sleeve, spring means normallyV urgingsaid gyrating ring into a tilted position, a lug on Vsaid sleeve and engageable by" said ring and adapted to raise theV sleeve` commensurate with the gyrating position Y of said ring, an'annular collar on said sleeve; and y roller means carried by said rack and-engaged vby said collarforraising said rack toiimpart movement to said movablehand.

f onARLEs soLiNsK'I; l' 

